YouTube show Takahoa started as something small and personal, and quickly turned into something way bigger.
In April 2025, WIFT NZ members Monet Bailey Ngatai and Jess Sewell created the pilot script and series outline for Takahoa, a name meaning “to befriend” in Te Reo Māori. Inspired by Monet’s experience of being Māori Pākehā, the story follows Hana as she navigates identity, friendship, and belonging. What began as a simple idea grew fast through social media into five full episode scripts, shaped across multiple writers’ rooms with a director, production crew, and six actors.
The team launched a Boosted campaign and cleared their $35K goal, raising over $40K in a month. Support came in from across the industry, including Topic Rentals, Department of Post, and Wireless Rentals, alongside creative partners like Gordon Harris, Faber Castell, and Chroma. Artists, musicians, and designers from around Aotearoa got involved, building the project into a cast and crew of more than 50.
Season One was shot in just five days and released weekly on YouTube. It proved the concept. It proved the audience. Now it’s time to scale.
Monet and Jess are now developing Season 2 and planning to go for NZ On Air funding to take the series to the next level. With two Executive Producers already on board, the foundation is solid. Now they’re looking for the right Producer to step in and help lead the next phase.
They’re after someone experienced. Someone who understands funding pathways, has strong industry knowledge, and has previously produced a high budget web series. Ideally, they’d come in with confidence across development, a steady hand when it comes to leading projects at scale, and a collaborative approach as the series continues to grow.
Anyone who feels aligned with that space is encouraged to get in touch by emailing:
overwhelmedproduction@gmail.com
Takahoa is about connection, identity, and finding where you belong. Season 2 is about making sure it reaches as far as it can.